Zdenek Eisenstein (Dan) was born to Bozena and Adolf Eisenstein in Pocatky, Czechoslovakia in 1936 and was brother to Dana Reissova and Iva Spergerova. Dan married Jana (nee Cejnkova) in 1961 with whom he had two daughters Alice and Jana.
Dan received his Undergraduate and Graduate Geotechnical education at the Czech Technical University in Prague between 1959 and 1965. Following his studies and a period of postdoctoral work in London, U.K., Dan accepted an academic position at the University of Alberta and moved to Edmonton, Canada, in 1969 with Jana and his two daughters. Dan became a Full Professor in 1974 and a Professor Emeritus in 2001. Over the period of 1972 to 1983, Dan completed four visiting professorships in Brazil twice, South Africa and Germany. In 2002, Dan and Jana moved from Edmonton to Whiterock, Surrey British Columbia which is where he resided at the time of his death.
Dan’s prime research and professional interest was soft ground tunneling, especially in urban environments. On this and other topics he published over 160 papers and conducted over 100 lectures and presentations worldwide. Awards included becoming an Honorary Professor at Pontificia Universidade Catolica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1990, receiving an Honorary Doctorate from The Czech Technical University in 1991 and no less than 7 further achievement prizes in the field of Tunneling and Geotechnical Engineering.
Dan was an expert advisor and consultant, highly regarded as one of the leading experts in his field. He played a key role in over 150 projects across the globe, including the Channel Tunnel between the U.K. and France, the Canada Line Subway Tunnels, in Vancouver and most recently, he was the Chairperson of the Tunnel Advisory Panel for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Dan was an active member of the International Tunneling Association (AITES / ITA). He was elected Member of the Executive Council in 1987, First Vice President in 1989 and finally elected and served as the President of AITES / ITA over the period 1992 – 1995.
Not only was Dan a very successful professional, but he was also deeply loved as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother. Both professionally and personally, he was an energetic and positive man, always looking ahead with his special smile and twinkle in his eye. His unending loyalty, generosity and dedication extended not only to his family, but also to his wide circle of personal friends and colleagues.
Most poignantly, was Dan’s devotion to the family and his five grandsons Sam, Max, Cole, Theo and Sidney. Together, he and Jana, his wife, provided as much of the most valuable gift they could give to the boys : their time and love. He will always be remembered for this.
Dan’s sudden death was far too early, he still had many plans and so much to give. He will always be remembered for his positive and compassionate nature, for the great contributions he made to those around him and for the legacy he leaves behind both professionally and with our family.
Dan was truly an exceptional man and will be greatly missed. He touched the lives of so many and in that his legacy will live on.
God bless you, you are a star we will always watch for.
A memorial service for family, friends and colleagues will take place to honor and celebrate Zdenek's life and his many achievements. The memorial is being planned for 10 a.m. on September 4th at Kaple Betlémské in Prague, Czech Republic.
The memorial will be in both Czech and English commencing with a prayer service followed by personal and professional tributes and ending with a reception.
Kaple Betlémské (Bethlehem Chapel) is located at Betlémské Námestí 255/4, Praha 1 – Staré Mesto.
Additional information can also be found on the following web sites:
http://www.pametni-mince.cz/praha/betlemska_kaple
http://www.materurbium.eu/betlemska-kaple---pulpit-of-master-jan-hus.html
I will start one tunnel work and I was just looking his lecture notes, which I took on year 2000 at University of Alberta. I cannot beleive he has passed away, I cannot stop my tears.
devrim turker 24 January, 2010
Milá Janka, Alica a Jana. Smutná správa o Zdenkovej smrti nás zastihla pri návrate domov z Velkej Británie (Wales) - koniec júna, kde sme boli na návšteve u dcéry Katky a jej rodinky. Správa nás velmi prekvapila a hlboko sa nás dotkla. Zdenko bol náš dobrý priatel ako i celá Vaša rodinka. Naša spolupráca sa zacala už v roku 1980 na Stavebnej fakulte SVŠT v Bratislave a Zdenkovou zásluhou sa rozvila družobná spolupráca medzi SVŠT Bratislava a Univerzitou v Edmontone. Aktívne sa Zdenko zapojil pri riešení návrhov siete rýchlodráhy (metra) v Bratislave a taktiež na riešení problémov výstavby cestných tunelov na dialnicnej sieti na Slovensku. Jeho hlboký vztah k riešeniu problémov výstavby cestných tunelov modernými metódami boli náplnou prednášok aj pre našich študentov a doktorandov na slovenských vysokých školách. Jeho poznatky a skúsenosti sa využili už pri prvej medzinárodnej konferencii v Poprade (okt.1995) ako i v Košiciach (apríl 2005). Bol vždy dobrý a milý poradca. Zákerná choroba nás odlúcila od velkého ucitela a priatela, na ktorého budeme vždy s úctou spomínat. Jeho pamiatka bude vždy žit s nami a v modlitbách budeme spomínat na neho. Vlado a Viera Ratkovský s rodinou, 16.júla 2009
Koloman Vlado Ratkovský 16 July, 2009
Milá Janka, Alica a Jana. Smutná správa o Zdenkovej smrti nás zastihla pri návrate domov z Velkej Británie (Wales) - koniec júna, kde sme boli na návšteve u dcéry Katky a jej rodinky. Správa nás veľmi prekvapila a hlboko sa nás dotkla. Zdenko bol náš dobrý priateľ ako i celá Vaša rodinka. Naša spolupráca sa začala už v roku 1980 na Stavebnej fakulte SVŠT v Bratislave a Zdenkovou zásluhou sa rozvila družobná spolupráca medzi SVŠT Bratislava a Univerzitou v Edmontone. Aktívne sa Zdenko zapojil pri riešení návrhov siete rýchlodráhy (metra) v Bratislave a taktiež na riešení problémov výstavby cestných tunelov na dialničnej sieti na Slovensku. Jeho hlboký vzťah k riešeniu problémov výstavby cestných tunelov modernými metódami boli náplňou prednášok aj pre našich študentov a doktorandov na slovenských vysokých školách. Jeho poznatky a skúsenosti sa využili už pri prvej medzinárodnej konferencii v Poprade (okt.1995) ako i v Košiciach (apríl 2005). Bol vždy dobrý a milý poradca. Zákerná choroba nás odlúčila od veľkého učiteľa a priateľa, na ktorého budeme vždy s úctou spomínať. Jeho pamiatka bude vždy žiť s nami a v modlitbách budeme spomínať na neho. Vlado a Viera Ratkovský s rodinou, 16.júla 2009
Koloman Vlaďo Ratkovský 16 July, 2009
My condolences to the family. Lewis Bonder, Director International Market Development, Mining Publications International-Montreal, Canada
Lewis Bonder 9 July, 2009
Dear Mrs Eisenstein + family, please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of our dear professor. His courses & teaching have influenced so much both my life & my career and I fell blessed & thankful that I had the opportunity back in the late 80's to take all his graduate courses. The geotechnical and particularly the tunneling world has lost one of its pillars. Dan was both an amazing engineer & a fantastic teacher but also a wonderful human being and we, who met him initially through the U of A graduate classes as his students have now lost a great teacher, mentor and a friend. I am sure that the pain is so much more to you who have lost a great husband, father and a grandfather... May he rest in peace among the righteous and may his memory be eternal. Michael Mathioudakis, Ph.D., PE Albany, NY USA
Michael Mathioudakis 30 June, 2009
